


A Balance of Sweets

by Yukitsune



Category: Love Live! School Idol Festival (Video Game), Love Live! Sunshine!!
Genre: But it works itself out, Dia thinks too much but Mari loves her anyway, Established Relationship, F/F, Internal angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-11
Updated: 2018-09-11
Packaged: 2019-07-10 23:37:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,821
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15959993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yukitsune/pseuds/Yukitsune
Summary: Dia never had a particular liking for sweets. They were things to be had in moderation, and only on special occasions. However, she did have exceptions. Mari was one of them.





	A Balance of Sweets

Ask people about Numazu and anyone who’s lived there would describe it as a peaceful and beautiful place to call home. The town was well loved by its people. 

Except during summer.

Perhaps it was due to the location of their prefecture, or the fact that most of them lived on the beach. Either way, the summer heat made it impossible to leave the comfort of the shade. It was summer vacation, ironically. However, the heat this year made it especially difficult to leave the comfort of the shade. Hence, most people hid in cafes or at home, and blasted the fans at high speed. Or at least, that was what they wanted to do. 

With each minute that passed, her frustration grew exponentially. Dia questioned her reason for standing in a cafe filled with dozens of people struggling to fit into the cramped space and get their orders. Beads of sweat gathered on her forehead as she fought for breathing space. She couldn’t feel the air conditioning at all, even though she was certain that the managers had put the fan at the highest speed possible. There were people squeezing around her left and right, and she could barely find space to check her watch. It was worse than rush hour transport in the city because at least people had to move off the bus when they reached their stop.

At some point, Dia decided she would rather suffer in the scorching heat than suffocate inside with the mass of people who were so loud that she couldn’t even hear her own thoughts. She finally pushed open the glass door, ignoring the murmurs of disgruntled customers as she fought her way to the exit, and was met with a blast of hot air and sunshine. 

Even though she managed to escape to the shade of a beach umbrella, her skin was burning from the heat that radiated from the ground. She sighed impatiently as she stared at the blue ocean which sparkled intensely in the sunlight. Even for someone who had a phobia of drowning, the water looked especially tempting. She once again reconsidered her decision to wait for someone who was taking an eternity to show up. This date had been her idea, after all. Dia, herself, failed to understand the craving for overpriced dessert parfaits but she found the offer difficult to refuse. In other words, she had consented under the duress of Ohara Mari.

She would never openly admit it, but ever since they started dating, the amount of occasions where Mari successfully convinced her to go out for desserts was embarrassingly high.

Dia didn’t particularly like sweets, or desserts, for that matter. Consuming too much sugar was unhealthy, which was something that she had to continuously remind Ruby of. Her sister had a natural fondness for overly sweet candies and desserts, which was unsurprising, considering her sweet nature. However, she couldn’t see the appeal of it.

Dia liked green tea. It was safe to say that she could not foresee herself ever getting tired of drinking it. On its own, the tea had a delicate and elegant flavor which danced on the tip of her tongue and left her feeling endlessly light and calm. It was not naturally sweet but she enjoyed the slight bitterness that was left as an aftertaste. The combination of flavors made her feel calm and helped to clear her mind. Therefore, she didn’t approve of adding sweeteners to the tea because it made the taste artificial and it clouded the fragrance of the matcha leaves.

Accordingly, she was rather prejudiced towards matcha flavored sweets because companies usually added coloring and sugar to the tea leaves. Hence, matcha was commercialized as a dessert brand and not as a cultural heritage. To her, the entire enterprise lacked authenticity. 

No, she wasn’t bitter at all.

The point was, Dia didn’t have a sweet tooth. She only had exceptions.

The first time she tasted pudding, it tasted ethereal. She couldn’t believe that food like that existed. Her father’s business had been slowly reaching more international customers and one of his clients had given him a box of vanilla pudding cups as a present. Dia told herself that she would only take one bite and give the rest to Ruby since her sister loved sweets.

Her first bite was only half a spoonful. She had been stunned when the metal teaspoon cut right into the side of the mound. To her surprise, the slice she made closed on its own, as she withdrew the utensil. It looked as if she had never cut the pudding. She would later learn the texture and properties of gelatin, but at that age, she had been in awe of such a creation.

She gently skimmed a bit of the surface before she put the spoon in her mouth. At first, she didn’t know how to describe the taste. It was sweet and creamy, but it was also light, delicate, and soft. She had frozen in her seat, trying to allow her brain to catch up with her taste buds. It seemed to disappear on her tongue and she blinked in surprise. Before she realized it, she had taken another spoonful, and another, trying to be sure of what she was tasting.

She ended up finishing two cups on her own; much to the surprise of her parents, Ruby and most of all, herself. She quickly gave the last cup to Ruby before she could be tempted.

Licking the empty spoon as she sheepishly placed the empty cups into the wash basin, she decided that pudding would be an exception.

~

“Dia!” A pair of arms encircled her from behind, and she suddenly felt a surge of added warmth as her girlfriend pressed up against her. “It’s so hot today...”

“You’re late, Mari-san.” Dia huffed; pointedly ignoring her whines. Her hands were folded across her ribs, preventing Mari from getting a proper hug. “I could have just had my tea at home.”

“Aww, don’t be like that. I wanted to go on a date with you.” The bubbly girl was, unsurprisingly, less than fazed by her coldness. She gave Dia a gentle squeeze before placing a quick peck on her cheek and rubbing her arms lovingly. Her actions had the desired effect because although she didn't return the hug immediately, Dia turned and allowed Mari to take her hands and pull her closer. She blamed the heat for her lack of protest. “We can do something else if you’d like. I just wanted to spend some time with you today.”

Dia’s stern expression wavered. She couldn’t resist her when she was like this. Lately, she had been realizing how difficult it was, to stay annoyed with Mari. No matter how hard she tried, they usually ended up bantering and making up within the same day. Her girlfriend could be infuriating sometimes, but there was an inherent sweetness about her which she only showed to people she deeply cared about. If Dia had to choose between making her own matcha at home alone, and enduring the heat to sit in an overcrowded cafe to have commercialized green tea with Mari, she would pick Mari every time.

“... This place is fine with me.” Judging from the warm smile that bloomed on her face, she had a feeling Mari would have chosen her too. “I like spending time with you, Mari-san.”

“I love you too.” Mari winked before she twirled around and opened the glass door, pulling Dia along behind her. “Now, let’s enjoy our date!”

Rolling her eyes to hide her blush, Dia entered the cafe after her. Mari’s ability to go from being an endearing girlfriend to a tease within a few seconds took some time to get used to. It didn’t make her less attractive though. In fact, it was quite the opposite, to Dia’s immense frustration.

Since their messy confessions which led to them becoming an official couple, Mari had taken to expressing her affection in almost every way imaginable. It made Dia slightly envious that expressing her feelings came so easily to Mari, whereas the words came out in scattered thoughts and sentences for her.

As the other girl chattered excitedly into her ear while she deliberated between the parfaits, Dia calmly ordered her usual iced matcha without sugar. It was still stuffy and the constant jostling of the crowd wasn’t helping. Yet, the heat somehow seemed less rowdy and annoying this time. It could have been because some people had started to file out after having lunch, or the fact that Mari was holding her hand. She was certain that it was the former, but she didn’t have any intention of letting go. 

Mari had been the first person to introduce Dia to matcha flavored sweets. It had been a regular weekend. Kanan and her were spending the afternoon at Mari’s home and the hostess had served them cookies to go with their tea. Usually Mari would ask for almond or cranberry cookies, but this time, there was a new addition. Upon realizing what it was, the dark haired girl had narrowed her eyes and squinted at the small pile of green cookies.

Mari had been well informed about Dia’s prejudice with regards to matcha flavored sweets and she respected her opinion, for the most part.

In general, Mari enjoyed sweets. Growing up in a hotel meant that she had always gotten the privilege of being the person whom the chefs experimented their desserts on. Hence, sweets and tea were an integral part of her daily life. In her opinion, they should be enjoyed together and not apart. The ingredients were delicious when enjoyed as separate elements, but combining the flavors gave it a new twist. From her experience, the best flavors were unexpected and the only way to discover them is to be open-minded. So, she made it her mission to show Dia that her prejudice was misguided.

Dia had opened her mouth to lecture the blonde about disrespecting the essence of matcha. Instead of feeling chastised, Mari thought of it as an opportunity. Thus, she allowed the other girl to go on for a few sentences; and then she abruptly pushed the cookie into her mouth mid-sentence.

“Just try it!” Dia had frozen in place. No one had ever done that to her.

Having grown up in a proper household, Dia couldn’t find it within herself to spit the cookie out, even if the idea of accepting the cookie was against her reflexes. Her mother had always told her that she had to be mindful of her appearance and behavior in every aspect of socializing. She was to uphold the image of the Kurosawa family, especially with people she considered friends. The glare she sent Mari was almost lethal.

She was seething on the inside, even if she maintained a relatively calm exterior. She couldn’t even raise her voice because she was not allowed to speak with her mouth full. Instead, she sat quietly on the sofa, sulking as she let the cookie crumble on her tongue. Mari grinned triumphantly as Dia had no choice but to “accept” the offering. Meanwhile, Kanan, the captive audience member, had fallen back against the sofa in laughter, in spite of the scowl that Dia sent her for her betrayal. Even Mari let out a small giggle. She couldn’t help herself. It was hard to retain composure when the usually elegant girl looked so flustered and infuriated. Catching Dia off guard was not easy, so she secretly hoped she would have more chances to do so.

As Dia allowed herself to think about the taste on her palette, she picked up a familiar tinge of bitterness that was disguised by the initial sweet crumbs. The flavor was light and delicate; much like the tea that she loved so much. Yet, it also had the buttery smell and taste which came with cookies. In essence, it was similar to combining the sweetness of the daifukus that Ruby would make for her, as well as the tea she brewed on her own. It was as if the flavors had combined to form a new one, which made the overall taste unexpectedly familiar but also different.

“Well, how is it?” She looked up to find Mari’s inquisitive gaze on her.

“It’s...sweet.” Amongst the mass of thoughts that were running through her head, that was the one flavor that formed on the edge of her tongue. The gentle bitterness that remained as an aftertaste took her by surprise, even though her taste buds seemed as confused as her thoughts. 

“That’s to be expected…It is a cookie.”

“It’s amazing!” The two girls turned to Kanan, who was holding two half eaten cookies in her hand. Her words were barely understandable, but they got the gist of her message. 

“Isn’t it? It’s made from Uji tea leaves, and we ordered a box of them at 2000 yen for 50g! It was SUCH a good price!” There was a short moment of silence where the two girls stared at the small cookies in front of them. The calculations were a lot to take in but she stopped trying after the fifth significant figure. 

For Kanan, she didn't even bother with calculations. Dia had to give her credit, though. She managed to swallow the mouthful of cookies before she started choking wildly. She would definitely take her time and enjoy every crumb now that she knew what the unit price was. As for herself, Dia simply stared in shock. 

“What’s the matter?” Mari asked. 

“THAT IS SUCH A WASTE OF MONEY! HOW COULD YOU SPEND SO MUCH FOR THIS?”

“Papa uses the best quality tea leaves for the hotel, so it’s no problem!” The blonde girl’s grin brightened despite the blatant disbelief in Dia’s eyes. It was common knowledge that the Kurosawas had the means to get the best quality tea leaves, but she also knew that the heiress would rather save the money for future needs. She rarely indulged on anything sweet as well. Mari hoped her flippant delivery didn’t betray her own excitement when she saw the small smile fight its way onto Dia’s lips. She had succeeded in this round.

The young heiress deliberately left out the fact that after listening to Dia gush about her favorite tea, Mari had immediately asked her father to order a supply of said tea leaves. Her father had always told her that taking risks is part of making investments. Being willing to sustain initial losses in the hopes of securing a possible gain in future, was a form of foresight that every good business woman should have. As she watched the brunette carefully lick the crumbs which had gathered on the edges of her mouth, she figured that it was already worth the price. 

The conversation returned to normal after that. When Kanan finally managed to catch her breath, Mari changed the topic to deciding which movie they should pick. While the two of them selected a title from her extensive collection, Mari pretended not to notice Dia’s hand reach for another matcha cookie. Dia hadn’t voiced her opinion, but the fact that she took another shy nibble seemed a lot like acceptance.

If she noticed that the remaining green tea cookies had disappeared by the end of the night, even though Kanan didn't touch them, Mari didn't say anything. 

~~

A tuft of blonde hair brushed against her arm as Mari leaned over her shoulder to take a sip of her matcha. Instead of pulling her cup away, she lifted her straw to make it easier for her to drink. She had stopped asking for permission a long time ago and Dia had stopped complaining. It was Mari’s way of showing the world that she was hers, without overdoing it. Dia couldn’t remember when she had gotten used to Mari’s way of displaying affection. In the beginning, she had jumped instinctively when Mari surprised her with hugs in public. Nowadays, sharing her personal space, food, and life felt like less of an intrusion. Instead, she found herself missing Mari’s presence and antics when they weren’t physically together. She would be the last to admit it though.

A disgusted groan caught her attention. Her glass had been returned to its original spot, although the amount of matcha had decreased slightly.

“What happened? Is everything okay-” As she turned to glance at Mari, she felt a finger poke her cheek, cutting off her sentence abruptly. Her eyes narrowed. “Mari-san...”

“It’s too bitter, Dia!” Mari whined. “Adding some sugar would make the drink taste better!”

“…You just feel that way because you always add sugar to your drinks.” Dia pointed out calmly. Confirming her point, Mari took a slightly exaggerated gulp of her caramel latte before sitting down in front of her unapologetically. Out of habit, Dia shifted the small table towards herself to better accommodate their seating positions. Mari liked to cross her legs under the table but usually underestimated the leg room available, so she often ended up bumping the table. After a few near spills, Dia reasoned that she did it simply out of convenience and the necessity of protecting her drinks. It was not because of the warmth and affection in Mari’s gaze, which appeared more often than not, nowadays.

Dia took another sip of her iced matcha and paused. It was strange. She hadn’t added any sugar to the tea, but there was a residual sweetness left on her tongue. 

She glanced up at the other girl, or rather, the glare of the out-stretched ocean and beach behind her. The water and sand sparkled under the sun’s rays, but it was nothing compared to the golden light which outlined Mari’s frame. The logical part of her brain reminded her that the image was created by sunlight refracting the tiny pieces of natural crystals in the sand and salt particles in the sea. Yet, all she could think about was how beautiful her girlfriend was. 

“Like I was saying, the tea is way too bitter! There’s no balance to the flavors until you add a bit of sugar to it.” Mari continued. “Drinking something so bitter, doesn't it make you want something sweet?” 

She smiled. With Mari around, she would probably have more than enough sweetness to last for a lifetime. 

“What are you grinning about? It wasn’t a joke!”

“...Nothing.”

The phrase for “balance” was made up of a combination of two separate words which collectively referred to temptations meeting in a state of equilibrium. As a child, Dia found it easy to remember because the first kanji could alternatively mean “to fish”. Hence, she associated it with her family’s business. The poetry of it only dawned on her when she was older and understood the concept of equilibrium. A dynamic equilibrium meant that two opposing reactions had reached a point where they were happening at the same rate, such that there would be no net change in the reactants and products. In a sense, Mari and her had reached a similar point in their relationship. Even though post-graduation was a topic they didn't often discuss, they were stable enough to know that their futures were with one another. For now, that was enough. 

The longer she thought about it, the more she realized that she didn't mind having more exceptions. Especially if Mari was one of them. If Mari knew, she never called her out for it.

“Ah! Were you thinking about our indirect kiss just now?”

“WHAT?” The stunned and embarrassed expression on Dia’s face made Mari laugh. Her face turned even more red as the meaning of the words sunk in. She glanced around, wondering if anyone had heard them. Most of the customers were seated in the cafe, so people were few and far between. Yet, they were in still plain sight of any onlookers passing by or customers sitting in the cafe.

“Awww, Dia’s embarrassed even though we’re already dating. How cute~” Mari’s grin was feline and the teasing lilt was back in her voice. “You can be more direct, you know. It’s not like we haven’t slept tog-” 

She knew that the tell-tale signs of her girlfriend baiting her, but she couldn't let her finish that sentence. Momentarily forgetting their public setting, Dia leaned across the table and kissed her on the lips, effectively shutting her up. A surprised hum crossed Mari’s lips, which quickly turned into a pout when the other girl pulled away before she could respond properly. 

“Was that direct enough for you?” Dia praised herself internally when her voice didn’t waver, despite her embarrassment. She couldn’t prevent her face from heating up, but she could at least leave her girlfriend in a similar state. 

“Dia! What was that!?” The outburst came when Mari finally regained her voice. “I wasn’t ready! I demand a redo.” 

“Hmm, I’ll think about it after my tea.” It wasn’t exactly a rejection. Yet, at the aghast look on Mari’s face, Dia almost broke her cool façade. Instead, she reached over and covered her hand with hers. She ignored the skip in her heartbeat when Mari turned her hand over so that their palms were touching. It was in the peak of summer; their connected hands made Dia even warmer, but she found that she didn't mind the heat anymore. 

~

Kanan wouldn't say that she disliked sweets. Growing up with Chika and Mari meant indulging both of them when it came to desserts. To an extent, she would say that she appreciated sugar but hardly had time and money to spend on sweets, unless her friends invited her for tea and desserts. 

When her best friends announced that they were officially a couple, surprise was not in the basket of emotions she had felt. Mari had always been more careful and affectionate towards Dia, even though she teased her more than anyone else. Whenever Dia drifted from the conversation, Mari always found a way to make her feel noticed. It was easy to tell that the brunette was never far from her thoughts. Ironically, it took a while, and a lot of drama for her to realize that Dia had a soft spot for her too. However, it wasn't as if Dia had been any better at realizing and accepting her own feelings. Kanan had given up on trying to hint to each one about the other’s feelings, but when they finally took that step forward, relief was one of the first emotions she felt. 

She was happy for them. Truly.

The feelings hit her a few weeks later, when they were walking home together after practice. The group had gone over the new song and rehearsed the dance until the sky had turned from various shades of orange, to a navy blue with streaks of red from the waning sunlight. The girls had finally ended their rehearsal after Dia had advised them to rest and make sure they didn't fall sick or get a heat stroke. 

Mari had casually reached over to hold Dia’s hand and Dia hadn’t moved away from the contact. The blonde had always initiated and welcomed any form of affection from her and Dia since they were children, so hand-holding technically wasn’t an overly affectionate move on her part. Yet, there was an unspoken intimacy that made the gap between them seem impossibly wide. Hugging Mari and Dia came very naturally to her, but she became acutely aware that she was walking alone beside a couple. Suddenly, the very act that cemented their friendship seemed like an act that would overstep the boundaries of her friendship. In a way, she felt like she was losing her friends even before they graduated.

The feeling of dread remained after they had gone their separate ways. In an attempt to clear her head, she went for a light jog around the island. Before she realized it, she found herself standing at a familiar jetty. The back-gate to Hotel Ohara had been left ajar, so sneaking onto the property was less difficult than it used to be. She also knew that there was technically no need to be stealthy since the staff members and security were well acquainted with her. She remembered the days when Dia and her would wave a flashlight and signal Mari to come and play with them. It had been some time since then, but those precious memories would always be close to her heart.

At night, the island was usually quiet, so it was easy to pick up the wafting voice coming from above her. It was a one-sided conversation but the speaker’s voice was unmistakable. Her eyes drifted up towards the collage of balconies. After countless sleepovers and play dates, she instinctively knew which room was hers.

Sure enough, the other girl was the only person standing on her balcony. A fluffy lavender robe was wrapped around her, which fluttered around her calves. She was half leaning over the railing so Kanan easily spotted the phone in her hand. Mari hadn’t noticed her presence because her gaze was fixated on the ocean. From the way she spoke, Kanan didn’t need to second-guess that she was speaking to Dia. There was always a hint of softness in her voice when the other girl was involved, even when Mari teased her. Mari’s feelings were obvious from the beginning. In that sense, it was only a matter of time.

“Aww, but we could get the 1 for 1 drink set if we go together! We can save the desserts until we can share them with Kanan next time.” At the mention of her name, Kanan chuckled knowingly. Growing up, Dia had never been a huge fan of sweets, but Mari had her way of persuading her and wearing down her walls. Although, she had to acknowledge that Dia usually conceded only after Mari completed her share of the paperwork. They had both changed over the years, but in a way, they ended up balancing the other.

“... I’m aware of that...but I want to spend the afternoon with you since we won’t have much time together after graduation. Yes, I’ve been thinking about that…” Kanan shook her head with a smile. Mari had already won this round. She could imagine Dia giving in to her request, like she usually did. However, it was the second part of her sentence that brought Kanan back to reality. Graduation was a shared worry amongst the three of them. They had pointedly decided not to discuss it until they each finalized their plans, so that they wouldn't be pressured to decide one way or the other. They had already said goodbye to one another once. So, having to part ways again would be even more painful. Furthermore, unlike Mari and Dia, she had immediate plans to return to Uchiura once she finished her diving training and got her license. 

Kanan considered calling out to her. Yet, she felt guilty for intruding on their private conversation, especially since they hardly had time to spend together as a couple. Even though Dia and Mari spent a fair bit of time together during school, they were usually doing council work. Hence, she slowly retreated from the premises and made her way home. She didn't want to think about saying goodbye to them just yet.

They were her childhood and best friends. Protecting their relationship was not something that she would hesitate to do, but the thought of being left behind made her fear the days to come. She wasn't ready for things to change. 

She wasn't ready to go to sleep either. Instead, she grabbed her diving gear and plunged into the inviting waves. It was one of the only places where she felt like she was enveloped in a bubble of comfort. No matter where her next destination was, she would always feel at home when she was in the waters of Uchiura. 

Kanan couldn't remember how long she swam for, but she ended up taking a break on the beach when she felt like she had gone far enough. She felt the pull and strain of her muscles as she stretched her legs out on the sand. Hearing her name being called from behind, she turned to face the familiar outline of Chika’s home.

“Kanan-chan! Wait, give me a minute, I’ll be right down!”

She caught a glimpse of orange hair as her childhood friend popped her head out of the window, but she disappeared before she had the chance to wave back. Typical Chika. The lights on the first floor flicked on for a few minutes. There was an audible thump, presumably Chika bumping into something, followed by a series of barks. She chuckled as she pictured her friend frantically trying to tell Shiitake to go back to sleep without waking the guests. It didn't take long before the younger girl jogged across the road and plopped herself onto the sand beside her. Kanan recalled seeing Chika with similar casual clothes a few years ago and remarked that she really hadn’t changed at all. It made her slightly envious that Chika was able to stay true to herself and her beliefs even after years of knowing her. It also gave her a degree of comfort to know that Chika was one constant that she could always come back to with no fear.

“I just bought some mikans today! Do you want to try it?”

Peeling the mikan with deftness that she often seemed to lack in most other areas, Chika tore the fruit into half and offered a piece to Kanan. The diver accepted it with a smile as Chika took a bite and made a gleeful sound. Her love for mikans was pure and sweet, like how the fruit tasted. It brought back memories of splitting fruits between them when they were children. They had often been in similar situations where they would simply sit in silence and stare at the ocean. Her friend somehow always knew what she needed, even before she voiced anything.

Kanan sunk her teeth into her own piece and nearly grimaced at the acrid taste. The sour punch felt like a jolt to her taste buds. Perhaps she had gotten used to the idea of sharing desserts with her friends so the acidity of the fruit surprised her. Dia hardly ate much sweets so she was more than happy to share, with the exception of pudding; and Mari.

Thinking about her two friends made her melancholic. Things were different now, but in a way, nothing had changed. She turned to Chika, who gave her a warm smile and she felt a small weight lift off her chest. A stray thought flashed across her mind before she could stop it, like a shooting star. If she could, she would want to hold onto this moment and not let that smile fade into memory.

“I hope you apologized to your sisters for waking them up, by the way.”

“Ah… It’s not the first time I’ve gone out at night.” Or made a ruckus, Kanan thought. She understood why Riko sometimes dozed off during discussions in the clubroom. She pitied her, but on the other hand, she also envied her. Staying next door to Chika meant her life would inevitably be impacted by the orange haired girl who seemed to bring life to everyone around her. She sometimes felt like she missed so many opportunities to spend time with the younger girl. Perhaps joining Aqours was one way she could make up for lost chances. 

“Having trouble sleeping?” 

“Mm… I find it difficult to sleep when there’s so many things to consider. Night time is when I get inspired for the day!” Chika’s enthusiasm made her chuckle. “Ehhh? Is that weird?”

“No, I get it. I used to walk around at night to come up with choreography.” Kanan tucked her legs towards her chest as she stared at the sky above her. The lack of artificial lights and clouds meant that the stars were in full view. Part of her love for swimming at night was because the sea reflected the stars and the sky. So, when she swam, she felt like nothing was beyond her reach.

“Dia-san and Mari-chan must have really enjoyed spending time with you. All those memories, they’re just as important to them as they are to you.” That made her pause. She thought back to the instances where she felt isolated, the feeling that she was carrying the responsibility and worries on her own. Mari and Dia were always by her side, supporting her, just like Chika. Some part of her knew that they would never stop supporting one another, even if they were to part ways. 

“Yes, they are.” She admitted, more to herself than Chika, but having someone around to hear her made her feel understood. Even if she hadn’t found her place in the world, Chika would always have a place by her side and vice versa. She glanced down at the remaining pieces of the mikan in her hand and decided to try again. 

As she bit into another piece of fruit, a burst of sweetness quietly overtook the initial sourness from before. This time, she felt more at peace. The fruit was still the same so the sweetness had probably been there all along. Yet, she hadn’t noticed it before because the first thing she noticed was the sour taste. Perhaps she had to experience the sourness before she could recognize the underlying sweetness; or maybe, they were parts of the same whole.

The critic within her knew that nothing had been physically solved. She would still go home and worry about graduation and the uncertain future that was waiting for her. Once summer vacation ended, she would have to face her average grades as well. However, in that moment, the fear didn’t seem as daunting or as difficult to handle. She didn’t know whether it was because she had accepted the change or if she had changed. Either way, she was glad she made it to shore.

“How was it?” Glancing to her side, she noticed Chika had devoured her mikan while she had been wrapped up in her thoughts. 

It was an innocent enough question. However, she couldn't tell whether the question was referring to herself or the fruit. Kanan couldn’t help but choke out a laugh, even though it sounded more like a sob. If Chika noticed, she didn’t call her out for it. The moment of silence passed comfortingly, filled with the gentle sounds of the water lapping at the shore. She realized her friend was still waiting for her answer. She placed her hand over Chika’s to get her attention and found that she didn’t really want to let go. 

“It’s...sweet.”

 

Fin.

**Author's Note:**

> 釣り合い (Balance/Harmony)  
> In its plain dictionary form, 釣る can refer to temptations, or fishing. 合う refers to a meeting. Hence, when the two words are put together, the literal translation refers to a state where temptations meet.
> 
> I wrote this story on a whim based on word play with the idea of having sweets with matcha. However, after I came across the kanji for the balance, I knew I had to include the reference somehow. Also, the Chikanan part happened unexpectedly but it was fun to write. Thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed it!


End file.
